These holidays are united by one key theme — the defense of our native land and the people who live on it. Modern Ukrainian warriors continue the tradition of courage, resilience, and love for the Motherland embodied by the Ukrainian Cossacks.

It was this connection between generations that librarians spoke about on the eve of the holiday while visiting Mykolaiv Gymnasium No. 36 and Mykolaiv Professional Industrial Lyceum. They held informative events for the pupils and students — an excursion into history titled "Genetic Code of Courage: From Cossacks to the AFU."

During the meetings, they talked about the Cossacks not merely as heroes from textbook pages, but as everyday people — with their own strengths, habits, virtues, and even flaws.

To help the students better imagine the Cossack world, they embarked on a journey through its history and daily life. They learned about the weapons Cossacks used, why their sabers were curved, what yakirtsi (caltrops) and arapnyk (heavy whips) were, how much a cannon cost, who the kharakternyky Cossacks were, and how they differed from other Cossacks...

Naturally, no meeting would be complete without testing Cossack knowledge! A fun quiz on Cossack life and customs awaited the participants — featuring both standard questions and mysterious tasks involving a "black box."

Events like these help reveal the real people behind historical facts — their character, habits, and aspirations — allowing for a deeper understanding of our native region's history.

After all, the Mykolaiv region is Cossack land, and the memory of its past forms a key part of our history. Today, this land is protected by the descendants of the Cossacks — Ukrainian warriors.